A Kevin Durant-Oklahoma City Thunder Reunion Could Be In The Works
Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith believes the Thunder should go after Durant
The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of having the best season in franchise history. With a 50-11 record and winning percentage of .819%, it doesn’t seem like anything could go wrong. However, there are many teams who had great regular-season runs and then fell short of a championship.
During a recent segment of ESPN’s Get Up, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith said the Thunder should consider acquiring Phoenix Suns’ forward Kevin Durant if they fail to win a championship.
"The Oklahoma City Thunder should go and get Kevin Durant back,” Smith said. “If you don't get it done this year, they should go back and get Kevin Durant. They've got so many assets, they have stuff to give away."
Kevin Durant’s roots go back to Oklahoma City
After a monumental year at the University of Texas at Austin, Durant declared for the 2007 NBA draft where he selected second by the then-Settle Supersonics.
While stationed in Seattle, Durant put together a tremendous rookie season. During his first year, he led all rookies in scoring with an average of 20.3 points. At the end of the season, he scored a then career-high 42 points in a win against the Golden State Warriors.
Durant’s impressive effort paid off. Once the 2007-08 season concluded, he won the Rookie of the Year award. He also joined LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony as the only teenagers to average 20-plus points throughout an entire season.
He continued building his illustrious career even after the Supersonics relocated to Oklahoma City. For the next eight years, Durant averaged 28.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks. He also established himself as one of the greatest scorers of all-time, winning the scoring title four times.
Durant’s best season was during the 2013-14 campaign. During that year, he averaged a career-high 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. His efforts helped him achieve his first and only MVP award.
A Durant-OKC reunion could work in some ways
Currently, Durant is in the third of his four-year contract with the Suns. With a 28-33 record and in danger of missing the playoffs, most signs point to a trade involving him this summer.
It could pose a great opportunity for the Thunder to reach out to the 15-time All-Star.
If Durant does demand a trade, it could lead to another rebuilding stage for Phoenix. Considering the Suns will be rebuilding, they could use this exchange to their advantage.
The Suns might request some of the Thunder’s 29 draft picks, as well as some of their young talent. Since they will be losing Durant, they might demand small forward Luguentz Dort, as well as some young guards to fill out their bench.
Durant’s fit with OKC could be awkward but yet fulfilling
If the Thunder are able to acquire Durant, it might polish their roster. As it currently stands, Isaiah Hartenstein is the starting center while Chet Holmgren occupies the power forward spot. With Durant on the roster, Hartenstein will likely be moved to the bench while Holmgren re-gains his center position.
For the majority of his career, Durant felt comfortable being the primary ball-handler and scorer. But with elite shot-making guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander controlling the game, Durant might have to settle with playing off the ball more.
In spite of that, the Thunder will be great fit for Durant.
Although he is 36 years old, Durant is arguably still in his prime. This season, he is averaging 26.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks. Not only will he continue to create his shot but he can help the Thunder out on defense, too. If he and Holmgren occupy the power forward and center positions, respectively, they will be a great defensive frontcourt.
With the Thunder being one of the best teams in the league, making drastic changes might not be on their mind. However, this offseason could be extremely huge for them, regardless of the situation.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to The Lead. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson